Water riding member

ABSTRACT

A water riding member having an upper surface upon which a person may ride and a lower surface immersible in water is described. The member has a length and a width, with the length being greater than the width, and the member extends lengthwise between first and second ends. The lower surface of the member has a medial portion between the two ends, and at least first and second ascending portions between the medial portion and the first end. The first ascending portion adjoins the medial portion, and the second ascending portion extends between the first ascending portion and the first end, with the second ascending portion being more steeply inclined than the first ascending portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of members for riding on water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years one form of athletic recreation has involved riding aplaning board while being towed through the water by a boat. Acquaticriding boards have been known for some time. One particular example ofthis kind of riding board involves a kind of planing member such as maypopularly be termed a “wake board”. Typically, a rider stands on thewake board and is towed over a water course by a boat. A wake board mayhave bindings into which the rider may secure his or her feet, thebetter to control the ride of the board.

A wake board may commonly operate in either of two regimes. First, whenthe wake board is running outside the cone of the wake (i.e., when theboard is running outside the wavefront of the wash of the boat), it maytend to be running in substantially open water that may, in the case ofa lake or slow moving river, tend to be relatively flat and calm ascompared to the waves of the wake generated by the boat. In the secondregime, the wake board may be operated in a direction have a substantialcomponent of velocity transverse to the direction of travel of the towboat, such that the wake board may tend to move in a direction to crossthe wake.

Part of the enjoyment of riding a wake board may be the opportunity totravel through, or over, the wake of the tow boat. Some tow boats aregiven extra stem ballast for the purpose of displacing more water, andhence in creating a larger wake. The wake board may have upwardly angledtips at both ends. The upward bend of the board is termed a rocker, andthe amount of “rocker” may be measured at the ends of the board ininches of height from the center of the board when placed on a flatsurface at rest. This is, inherently, a measure of camber, and may be 2inches, or, taken as a ratio of the length of the board, about 3%. Whenthe board is traveling outside the wake, more or less in the directionof travel of the tow boat, the board runs primarily on its medial, ormiddle, portion, with the end providing a lead-in planing face. Ashallower rocker may tend to be associated with a board that may runfaster in smooth water, but not necessarily jump as well as a steeprocker. If the rocker is too steep, it will tend not to run as quicklyas a board with a shallower inclination.

It may be that a wake board rider wishes to ride the board in such amanner as to cause it to jump out of the wake entirely, as when therider does flips or twists in the air. The size or quality of the jumpthat may be made may tend to be a function of the height of the jumpthat can be achieved. One way to achieve a relatively high jump is tocause the wake board to gain speed in the comparatively flat wateroutside the wake, and then to cross the wake at a high angle of attack,with as much speed as can be managed, such that the board meets the wavefront abruptly at high speed, tending to cause the board to angle upwardand to jump.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention there is a water riding member having anupper surface upon which a person may ride and a lower surfaceimmersible in water. The member has a length and a width with the lengthbeing greater than the width. The member extends lengthwise betweenfirst and second ends. The lower surface has a medial portion betweenthe two ends, and at least first and second ascending portions betweenthe medial portion and the first end. The first ascending portionadjoins the medial portion, and the second ascending portion extendsbetween the first ascending portion and the first end. The secondascending portion is more steeply inclined than the first ascendingportion.

The member may have third and fourth ascending portions between themedial portion and the second end. The third ascending portion adjoinsthe medial portion and the fourth ascending portion lies between thethird ascending portion and the second end. The fourth ascending portionbeing more steeply inclined than said third ascending portion. Themember may have a plane of symmetry extending cross-wise through themedial portion.

The first ascending portion may have a mean angle of inclination in therange of 0.5 to 1.5 degrees of arc relative to the medial portion.Further, the second ascending portion may have a mean angle ofinclination in the range of 1.0 to 4.0 degrees of arc relative to themedial portion. The first ascending portion may meet the medial portionon a radius of curvature of between 10 and 20 inches. Further, thesecond ascending portion may meet the first ascending portion on aradius of curvature of between 3 and 10 inches. The lower surface mayhave an overall camber of greater than 3 inches. Further, the lowersurface may have an overall camber of greater than 5%. The secondascending portion may have a mean angle of inclination at least twice asgreat as the first ascending portion. Further, the second ascendingportion may have a projected length in the range of 10 to 20% of thelength of the member. The first ascending portion may have a firstprojected length, the second ascending portion may have a secondprojected length, and the first length may be greater than the secondlength. Further, the first ascending member may have a projected area ofbetween 5 and 15% of the lower surface.

The water riding member may have a binding mounted to the upper surfacethereof. Further, the member may have at least one longitudinallyrunning fin member between the medial portion and the second endthereof.

In another aspect of the invention there is a wake board having a middleportion, first rocker portions extending lengthwise from said middleportion, and second rocker portions extending lengthwise from said firstrocker portions, with the second rocker portions being more steeplyrockered than the first rockered portions. The second rocker portionsmay adjoin the first rocker portions at a sharper transition than thefirst rocker portions adjoin the middle portion. Further, the firstrocker portions may have an overall rocker height of between 4 and 7% ofboard length. Still further, the second rocker portions may have arocker differential of between 50% and 75% of overall rocker height ofthe wake board. Yet still further, the second rocker portion may have across-wise camber of less than 20%.

These and other aspects and features of the invention may be understoodwith reference to the detailed descriptions of the invention and theaccompanying illustrations as set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The principles of the invention may better be understood with referenceto the accompanying figures provided by way of illustration of anexemplary embodiment, or embodiments, incorporating principles andaspects of the present invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a planing board as seen from above;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the planing board of FIG. 1 takenalong the longitudinal centerline thereof, as indicated by section ‘2-2’of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the planing board of FIG. 1 as seen frombelow;

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the planing board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a detail on partial section ‘5-5’ of FIG. 1 showing an edgeprofile of the planing board of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows, and the embodiment or embodimentsdescribed therein, are provided by way of illustration of an example, orexamples, of particular embodiments of the principles of the presentinvention. These examples are provided for the purposes of explanation,and not of limitation, of those principles and of the invention. In thedescription, like parts are marked throughout the specification and thedrawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings arenot necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have beenexaggerated in order more clearly to depict certain features of theinvention.

In terms of general orientation and directional nomenclature, for theplaning board of the various Figures, the longitudinal direction isdefined as being coincident with the forward planing direction of theplaning board when the rider is being towed behind a boat in the usualcourse of operation. It is coincident with the long axis of the planingboard. It should be understood that while the planing board iscustomarily operated to travel in this direction, generally, it isexpected that the board may operate with a significant amount of leeway.That is to say, as the rider is being towed, and the board is beingoperated in a direction having a significant component of velocitytransverse to the direction of motion of the towing boat, the board maywish to cheat, or skid sideways, in the direction of the tow. Thisleeway may be resisted, for example, by the rider leaning away from thetowing boat and angling the distant edge of the board more sharply intothe water, and edging the lee edge out of the water, or by adding finsor keels to the underside of the planing board. In some instances thiscomponent of motion may be deliberately incurred, as when a rider“grinds” the wake, by riding the board with a very small, or zero,component of velocity in the lengthwise direction of the board, and thelong axis of the board positioned substantially perpendicular to thedirection of tension in the tow rope.

The planing board may be considered to have a pitching motion, namely arotational degree of freedom about an horizontal axis of rotationperpendicular to the long axis of the board, and may thereby beadjustable in terms of a fore and aft angle of trim, depending on wherethe rider locates his or her center of gravity relative to the center oflift of the board. Similarly, the planing board may have an angle ofroll according to the angular position of the board relative to the longaxis of the board, from a horizontal datum, and may have a yaw angleabout a vertical axis in turning, relative to the direction of travel ofthe towing boat, for example. In general, there may be several differentangles of attack relevant to the motion of the board. A first angle ofattack is the angle of the weight bearing planing surface to the meanwater surface (for this purpose, a horizontal, dead calm planarundisturbed water surface may be considered). A second angle of attackmay be the angle of the long axis of the board to the direction oftravel of the towing boat, as seen in plan view from above. A thirdangle of attack may be the roll angle of the planing surface. A fourthangle of attack may be defined between the long axis of the board (or,perhaps more rigorously, the velocity vector) of the board and thenon-planar wave-front as seen from above. A fifth angle of attack may bedefined between the leading portion of the board and the wave front.

The term lateral, or laterally outboard, refers to a distance ororientation relative to the longitudinal centerline of the board, andmay be taken from either lateral edge, in context. If the long axis ofthe planing board is considered the x-axis, lateral distances might beconsidered to be distances in the y-direction. The term “longitudinallyinboard”, or “longitudinally outboard” is a distance taken relative to amid-span lateral section of the board, or from wither tip of the board,in context, and might be considered to be distances in the x-direction.The terms upward and downward, or upper and lower, may tend to be takenin the vertical directioin assuming an at rest condition of the planingboard, and might be considered to be motions or distances in thevertical or z-direction, but it will be understood that in motion theremay be upward and downward components of direction and motion accordingto the pitch, roll and yaw of the planing board, and the terms must beunderstood in context.

By way of general overview, then, a planing board, such as may be a“wake board” is indicated generally in the Figures as 20. Planing board20 has an upper surface 22 upon which a rider may ride, be it standing,kneeling, sitting, or prone as the case may be. Planing board 20 alsohas an undersurface, or generally downwardly facing surface 24 that maytend to contact, be partially immersed in and ride upon, the watersurface. Undersurface 24 may have a central region 26, adjacentfore-and-aft near to central regions 28, 30, and more fore-and-aftdistant regions 32, 34. In flat water operation, such as may occuroutside the wake, the angle of attack of the board to the water surfacefor planing may tend to be governed by the angle of the first portion ofthe surface, such as that of region 28. In attacking the wave front ofthe wake, distant region 32 may meet the wave, and may tend to helpcause the board to jump more abruptly. Board 20 having regions 26, 28,30, 32, and 34 may be referred to as a “five-stage rocker”.

In greater detail, then, planing board 20 is shown in plan view fromabove in FIG. 1. Board 20 has a major, or long axis identified as CLBoard, and a mid-span transverse axis identified as CL Transverse. Board20 may have a central portion 33 of greatest width in the lateraldirection, and adjoining fore-and-aft near portions 35 and 37, and foreand aft distant, or end regions, 38, 40. As seen from above, the lateralmargins 42, 44 of board 20 may be gently curving, and may besymmetrical, yielding a planform shape that is narrowest in the middle,and most sharply narrowing at the ends. Each end may have protrudingleft and right hand horns, 46, 48 and a relieved or drawn backintermediate leading edge portion 50 (or, trailing edge portion 52, asmay be).

Mounting fitting inserts 53 may be spaced along the board centerline inan array, and such an array may included several spaced groups 54, 56,58 and 60 such as may be used to attach rider engagement fittings, suchas may be in the nature of handles or foot bindings 57 (shown in FIG. 2only). In one embodiment board 20 may be made of laminated wood ormolded composite material, and inserts 53 may be threaded inserts suchas half inch deep ¼ inch diameter screw inserts.

Lateral margins 42, 44, may have a diminished profile, like a nosing, asshown in FIG. 5, in which the major portion of board 20 may have acontinuous undersurface margin, 66, yet have an upper relief, ordownward bevel 68, a lip 70, and an edge chamfer 72 at the far end oflip 70 that meets undersurface margin 66 at its laterally most distantextremity. This lip may be greatest in depth at mid span, with a lipwidth of perhaps 1½″, or 5-10% of overall board width, and a lip depthof ⅜ to ¾″.

Viewed from the end, as in FIG. 4, planing board 20 may be seen to havean undersurface that is not flat, but rather contoured. Near the leadingportion there is a “center tunnel” region 74 that is gently relieved ascompared to the adjacent longitudinally extending contours of the hull.The center tunnel is relatively shallow, with a maximum central depth ofabout ¼″ over a width between the hull contour high points of 8″. Thiscentral tunnel diminishes aftward toward the center of the board, atwhich the profile is as shown in FIG. 4, as identified at item 78.Longitudinally extending features in the nature of an inboard, or firstrail 80, and a more laterally outboard second rail 82 may be molded intothe underside of the board. First rail 80 may extend from the tip 84 ofthe board 20 along the hull, and, at mid section, may be 50-70% of thehull half width from the centerline to the laterally outboard margin.Second rail 82 may commence longitudinally inboard of tip 84, and maylie laterally outboard of first rail 80 by a further 10-20% of thelateral half-width, with position of the second rail at the longitudinalmid-point of the board being between ⅔ and ⅘ of the lateral half widthof the board away from the longitudinal centerline. Each of the firstand second rails 80, 82 may tend to have a steep face, or flank, orshoulder 86 on the laterally inboard side, and a gentler slope on thelaterally outboard side. The first and second rails may tend to functionas keels, or fins, or edges, to discourage lateral skidding in thewater, such as when the angle of motion of the board is sharplydivergent from the direction of tension in the tow line. Furthermore, insome embodiments planing board 20, may be provided with attachable keelor fin members 90 having a major axis running in the longitudinaldirection and projecting outward from the undersurface, such as may befixed in place by the engagement of threaded fasteners in threadedinserts 92. There may be a general transverse curvature to the undersideof the board, and this camber may be less than 20% of the width of theboard more generally.

Considering the longitudinal section of FIG. 2, in one embodiment theplaning board 20 may have a central region. Central region 26 ofundersurface 24 may adjoin the adjacent fore-and-aft near to centralregions 28, 30 at a first rocker, 94, 96 that may have a first radiusr₁, such that regions 28, 30 may tend to be inclined upward relative tocentral region 26 at an angle α from the horizontal. In some embodimentsα may lie in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 degrees. Radius r₁ may berelatively large, such as in the range of 10 inches to 20 inches, suchthat the transition from central region 26 to either of regions 28 or 30may be very gentle. Fore-and-aft distant regions 32, 34 may adjoinregions 28 or 30, as may be, at a second rocker 98, 100, that may have aradius of curvature r₂. In some embodiments r₂ may lie in the range of 3to 10 inches. In some embodiments r₂ may be smaller, and perhaps muchsmaller, than r₁, such that the transition from region 32 or 34 to 28 or30, as may be, may tend to be more abrupt than the transition fromcentral region 26 to either region 28 or region 30. The angle of thesecond rocker may be β such that the overall rocker angle of the endregions 32, 34 is φ from the horizontal, where φ is the sum of α plus β.φ may be in the range of 1.0 to 4.0 degrees. The total rocker height (orcamber) as measured by elevation δ at the end of the board may be about3 to 3¾ inches, or, in one embodiment, may be about 3⅓ inches.Alternatively, this may be expressed as a ratio of board length, beinggreater than about 5%, and, in one embodiment, about 6%, or somewhatmore than 6%. It may be that the angle of inclination of the endportions is about, or slightly greater than, twice the angle ofinclination of the near portion. That is, φ may be in the range of twiceas great as α, and may be in the range of 5/3 to 12/5 times as large asα. Taking this in terms of rocker height, the ascending heightdifferential of the first (or longitudinally inboard) rocker stage maybe indicated as δ₁, and the ascending height differential may beindicated as δ₂. In one embodiment, δ₂ lies in the range of ⅘ to 3 timesas large as δ₁. In one embodiment, δ₁ and δ₂ are approximately equal(+/−20%).

The length of the major axis of the board may vary. One factor relatedto the length of the board may be the weight of the intended user. Wakeboards tend not to exceed about 60 to 65 inches in length. The maximumwidth of the board may tend to be about 18 inches, and may tend to be inthe range of 12 to 18 inches, giving a length to width aspect ratio ofabout 3:1 to 5:1. In one embodiment, for example, the overall length maybe about 56 inches, and the overall width may be about 17⅛″ in width,giving an aspect ratio of about 3.3:1.

In one embodiment, the end regions 32, 34 of the undersurface of board20 may be in the range of about 5 to 8 inches, and in one embodiment maybe about 6½ inches (+/−½ inches) from the mid-point of the second rockerto the extreme tip of the board 20. Alternatively, this may be expressedas a proportion of board length, and as a proportion of the shallowerrocker length. That is, the end, or outer, or secondary rocker regionsmay have a length in the range of 8% to 20% of the board length, and,more narrowly, may be in the range of 10% to 15% of board length.

In one embodiment, the inboard rocker regions 28, 30 may have a lengthin the range of 8 to 14 inches, and in one embodiment may be about 10½inches (±1 inch). This may alternatively be expressed as a proportion ofthe overall length of the board 20, and as a proportion of the length ofthe central region. For example, this region may be in the range of 12%to about 25% of the length of the board, and in one embodiment may beabout 18% of the overall length of the board 20. It may also be about40% to 60% of the length of the central region 26, and in one embodimentmay be about 50% of the length of the central region 26.

Expressed differently yet again, the first ascending portion (such as 35or 37) has a first projected length when viewed from above (or below),and the second ascending, or longitudinally outermost region (such as 38or 40) has a second projected length, the first projected length beinggreater than the second projected length. The end rocker region maybetween about ½ and ¾ the length of the more longitudinally inboardrocker region, and in one embodiment may be about 60% of that length.Expressed still differently, the end rocker region 38 or 40 may be about¼ to ⅖ of the length of the central region 33, and in one embodiment maybe about ⅓ of the length of the central region 33.

Expressed differently again, the most longitudinally outboard ascendingportion (outboard of the second transition) may have a projected area ofbetween about 5 and 15% of the projected area of the board 20 moregenerally.

Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail.Since changes in, or additions to, the above-described embodiments maybe made without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of theinvention, the invention is not to be limited to those details but onlyby the appended claims.

1. A water riding member having an upper surface upon which a person mayride and a lower surface immersible in water, said member having alength and a width, said length being greater than said width, saidmember extending lengthwise between first and second ends; said lowersurface having a medial portion between said two ends, and at leastfirst and second ascending portions between said medial portion and saidfirst end; said first ascending portion adjoining said medial portion,and said second ascending portion extending between said first ascendingportion and said first end, said second ascending portion being moresteeply inclined than said first ascending portion.
 2. The water ridingmember of claim 1 wherein said member has third and fourth ascendingportions between said medial portion and said second end, said thirdascending portion adjoining said medial portion and said fourthascending portion lying between said third ascending portion and saidsecond end, said fourth ascending portion being more steeply inclinedthan said third ascending portion.
 3. The water riding member of claim 1wherein said member has a plane of symmetry extending cross-wise throughsaid medial portion.
 4. The water riding member of claim 1 wherein saidfirst ascending portion has a mean angle of inclination in the range of0.5 to 1.5 degrees of arc relative to said medial portion.
 5. The waterriding member of claim 1 wherein said second ascending portion has amean angle of inclination in the range of 1.0 to 4.0 degrees of arcrelative to said medial portion.
 6. The water riding member of claim 1wherein said first ascending portion meets said medial portion on aradius of curvature of between 10 and 20 inches.
 7. The water ridingmember of claim 1 wherein said second ascending portion meets said firstascending portion on a radius of curvature of between 3 and 10 inches.8. The water riding member of claim 1 wherein said lower surface has anoverall camber of greater than 3 inches.
 9. The water riding member ofclaim 1 wherein said lower surface has an overall camber of greater than5%.
 10. The water riding member of claim 1 wherein said second ascendingportion has a mean angle of inclination at least twice as great as saidfirst ascending portion.
 11. The water riding member of claim 1 whereinsaid second ascending portion has a projected length in the range of 10to 20% of said length of said member.
 12. The water riding member ofclaim 1 wherein said first ascending portion has a first projectedlength, said second ascending portion has a second projected length, andsaid first length is greater than said second length.
 13. The waterriding member of claim 1 wherein said first ascending member has aprojected area of between 5 and 15% of said lower surface.
 14. The waterriding member of claim 1 wherein said member has a binding mounted tosaid upper surface thereof.
 15. The water riding member of claim 1wherein said member has at least one longitudinally running fin memberbetween said medial portion and said second end thereof.
 16. A wakeboard having a middle portion, first rocker portions extendinglengthwise from said middle portion, and second rocker portionsextending lengthwise from said first rocker portions, said second rockerportions being more steeply rockered than said first rockered portions.17. The wake board of claim 16 wherein said second rocker portionsadjoin said first rocker portions at a sharper transition than saidfirst rocker portions adjoin said middle portion.
 18. The wake board ofclaim 16 wherein said first rocker portions have an overall rockerheight of between 4 and 7% of board length.
 19. The wake board of claim16 wherein said second rocker portions have a rocker differential ofbetween 50% and 75% of overall rocker height of said wake board.
 20. Thewake board of claim 16 wherein said second rocker portion has across-wise camber of less than 20%.